Filed under: Handbags

Here’s one for the girly girls who are tired of bows and lace. A shimmering pink pailette treatment to catch eyes and invoke images of bubbly champagne and dainty lingerie. The Delray Pailette-Embellished Leather Shoulder bag by Marc Jacobs is a large shoulder bag made of blush leather covered front and back (the sides are left exposed leather) with perfectly matched oval-shaped pailettes. It has double rolled leather top handles and a heavy golden chain shoulder strap, plus the top closes via a darling push-clasp fastener with a designer stamp. Other features include protective metal feet and an interior fully lined in tan satin with one zippered pocket. Gorgeous. $2,350

Marc Jacobs Delray Pailette-Embellished Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 07 May 2011 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Ball’s 2011 lineup of wrist watches includes a compelling mixture of both very modern watches, and those which are retro inspired. One of the latter is this Trainmaster One Hundred Twenty - a watch that is meant to celebrate 120 years of Ball watches. The story of the brand is linked to the American railroad industry. Ball watches were among the original innovators of an on-time and safe railroad system.

The Trainmaster One Hundred Twenty is a classic looking timepieces with modern components typical to the brand. The most noteworthy of which is the very shock resistant and antimagnetic case (here in 18k rose gold and 39.5mm wide), as well as use of tritium gas tubes in the hour markers and hands. These tubes are filled with a naturally glowing material for perfect darkness reading for about two decades before the light begins to dim.

The dial of the watch is slightly domed and comes in gray or silver with 18k rose gold hour markers and hands. The watch has a sapphire crystal and is attached to brown or black crocodile strap. Inside the Trainmaster One Hundred Twenty is a Swiss ETA 2892 automatic movement.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com

Ball Trainmaster One Hundred Twenty Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 06 May 2011 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

Upgrade your staple black leather look with this Bottega Veneta Crocodile-Effect Leather Messenger bag. It’s slouchy, weathered, and casual, but also a little tough, edgy, and even glamorous. It features faded black leather with crocodile-effect trim, signature intrecciato detailing, and an adjustable shoulder strap with padding. The fold-over flap front closes via a small tab with a press stud (cute but not the most convenient to fasten) plus there’s a pocket on the outside rear and several inside the roomy interior. It’s fully lined in black leather and brown suede. $9,500

Bottega Veneta Crocodile-Effect Messenger, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 06 May 2011 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I have had a love affair with Tag Heuer Formula 1 watches for a long time. The most modern ones are the best Formula 1 watches ever in my opinion. A new special model for 2011 celebrates an historic partnership that Tag Heuer enjoyed, as well as the furtherance of the F1 collection. This is the Formula 1 Gulf Edition watch, which presents itself in a similar manner as the range of Tag Heuer Monaco Gulf watches does in partnership with Gulf Oil and auto racing.

The base watch is the steel 44mm wide Tag Heuer Formula 1 Big Date watch. It contains a Swiss quartz movement with the time, subsidiary seconds dial, and big date indicator. The dial is black with a light gray cross-hatching pattern. You then see the Gulf racing stripes (with a thinner orange bar) and the Gulf logo. I think the racing stripes and dial pattern are a really neat edition. Not only is the piece attractive, but it will be particularly attractive to Tag Heuer collectors. The watch will be available on a steel bracelet or rubber strap. I don’t believe the piece is a limited edition, and prices should be in the $1,000 range when it is available in a few months.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tag Heuer Formula 1 Gulf Edition Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 05 May 2011 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handbags

This bag makes me happy. Meredith Wendell takes the season’s color-blocking trend and gives it a preppy, slightly artsy vibe for giving everyday casuals a boost of energetic vibrance. The Bucket Leather and Canvas Shoulder Bag features shades of blue from deep indigo to bright baby blue, plus rich red in the form of patent leather “stripes” that end in designer-stamped metal tabs. It’s divided into three major compartments plus one zippered pocket, has a bright red lining, and has double magnetic fastenings under the front flap. $795

Meredith Wendell Bucket Leather and Canvas Bag, Handbag of the Day originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 05 May 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Last year my favorite new Fortis watch was the Spaceleader. The futuristic chronograph watch was designed by the Volkswagen Design team and offered as a special limited edition of 2,012 pieces. I first wrote about the Fortis Spaceleader watch here. For 2011 Fortis is offering two additional limited edition versions of the Spaceleader Chronograph. Each have white dials and are great looking in a sort of “Omega Speedmaster evolved” sense. One model has a white rubber strap and the other models has a black rubber strap. The case is in polished steel and is “wrapped” by the strap structure. Fortis and Volkswagen really hit on a good design and I think these new color variations will be just as popular as the original Spaceleader watch. Inside the watches are Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 automatic movements. Look for these timepieces soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Fortis Spaceleader Volkswagen Design White Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 04 May 2011 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

One of their loveliest creations, the Stockholm is the newest limited edition model from Swedish watch makers Gustafsson & Sjögren (GoS). It will be limited to just five pieces total. Four pieces will have rich mother-of-pearl dials and one model will have a blue lapis lazuli dial - each set in a 42mm wide steel case.

Dials epitomize the art and skill of the knife and watch maker’s use of Damascus steel. The hour indicator ring, hands, subsidiary seconds hand, and crown are all in Damascus folded metal. The dial makes for a lovely presentation of this aesthetic, and is still very legible. Inside the watches are restored vintage movements, being manually wound Alpina 592R Swiss calibers. Over the dial is a sapphire crystal and each of the watches will be fitted to an alligator strap. For the lapis lazuli dialed model GoS will place a blue alligator strap. Overall these are finely makes pieces and quite rare - a fantastic example of “out of the box” thinking independent watch makers.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gustafsson & Sjögren Stockholm Watch originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 03 May 2011 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Coming in loads of colors and styles. The Volta II collection is a bright new range of women’s pieces from watch brand Bertolucci. More playful and decorative than the original Volta range, the Volta II has an off-centered dial for the time, and other a pair of hears or clover designed as the seconds hand. The hearts or clover on the dial spin around whimsically as the time passes. Inside the watches are Swiss quartz movements.

The cases are large at 42mm wide (for women) and comes in either steel or 18k rose gold. The watches themselves come in a large variety of colors. All have diamond studded bezels and more diamonds as well as other precious stones on the dials. The watch is matched to a colored alligator strap. Pretty fun pieces that still say “luxury watch” when worn.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Bertolucci Volta II Watches originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 02 May 2011 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Anyone who claims that timepieces are merely for telling the time simply hasn’t worn enough nice watches. Even before watches were able to measure the time in a halfway decent manner they were made out of precious materials and dutifully decorated. It seems that the timepiece and luxury have been cooperating since the very beginning. It was not until the 20th century that the watch became mainstream through mass production - and even modest wage earners could afford one. Rather than destroy the elite status of having a watch, all this did was strengthen the high-end watch market as timepieces at this level needed to try even harder to separate themselves from their distant, more affordable cousins.

Writing about very expensive timepieces and the world that conceives them has been an interesting journey for me as one with no elite upbringing or sense of entitlement to the “nicest things life has to offer.” This have given me a unique perspective on wearing luxury watches and the people that consume them.

Continue reading Wrist Regalia: What It’s Like To Wear Ultra Luxury Watches

Wrist Regalia: What It’s Like To Wear Ultra Luxury Watches originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 01 May 2011 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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